WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
col•lu•vi•um
(kə lo̅o̅′vē əm),USA pronunciation n., pl. -vi•a (-vē ə),USA pronunciation -vi•ums. [Geol.]
col•lu′vi•al, adj.
- Geologyloose earth material that has accumulated at the base of a hill, through the action of gravity, as piles of talus, avalanche debris, and sheets of detritus moved by soil creep or frost action.
- Neo-Latin, equivalent. to Latin colluv-, base of colluere to wash out (see collutory) + -ium -ium, on the model of Latin alluvium alluvium, dīluvium deluge
- 1935–40